Experts agree that Beijing has undoubtedly already put to use their assets in the conduct of its espionage warfare against the U.S. and there are reports that the Chinese shipping conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. has a significant presence at the Lazaro Cardenas seaport in Mexico, as well as other Mexican ports.

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Then the white barrels, the wooded hills on the far bank of the river, and beyond the hills the other side of Connecticut, the trip to the whaling ship at Mystic Seaport, somewhere out there Cape Cod, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa.

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The closure of a major seaport shipping channel such as at Long Beach due to a terrorist attack could have a devastating impact.

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But the UN continues to reject pleas from its own special envoy, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, among others for it to send in a serious peacekeeping force, at least big enough to secure the capital and its immediate vicinity, including the airport and seaport.

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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- At least 42 people died and another 145 were wounded in a massive car bombing Sunday in the large Pakistani seaport city of Karachi, authorities said.

CNN: March 3, 2013 -- Updated 2051 GMT (0451 HKT)

This new picture can also be witnessed at Mogadishu's seaport -- Somalia's key national asset -- where creaking cranes lift goods from the commercial ships and boats lining the harbor.

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